Ed Harrison has filed (in Durham County) for re-election to what, if successful, will be his fourth term on the Chapel Hill Town Council. Paul Neebe, who applied for the council vacancy earlier in the year, has also filed. I can't help but note that at this point, there are no candidates in the Chapel Hill Town Council race who are under the age of 50 (the median age of the council candidates at this point is 57, compared to a median age of Chapel Hill residents at 25.6).Sammy Slade has filed for re-election to a second term in Carrboro, and Michelle Brownstein has filed for re-election to a second term on the Chapel Hill - Carrboro School Board. Tim Bradley and Ed Hooks have filed for re-election in Mebane, which I know very little about but are both incumbents.

And, for the record, you're both significantly younger than any current council candidate.That said, I expect that this year I'll be supporting multiple candidates out of those who have already filed, age be damned. No one can help their own demographic characteristics. But a little more diversity in the field than we have right now would be nice, and not just in regards to age.

I'm afraid I'm not going to be of much help in bringing the median age of Town Council candidates down. I'll be filing as a candidate for Town Council this week. I may or may not win the honor of being the oldest candidate but I'm probably the only one who regularly rides a motorcycle.

Maybe the question you should ask is what can a candidate who is seeking a 4th or 7th term (like Ms. Gist of Carrboro) can bring to the table that is a fresh/new outlook on the problems facing the town and how will they approach the issues with other local governments?